Rivet setting fixture



Dec. 26, 1967 R. STEIN 3,360,175

RIVET SETTING FIXTURE Filed March 23, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

RAPHAEL STE/N ATTORNEYS.

Sum/M Dec. 26, 1967 R. STEIN 3,

RIVET SETTING FIXTURE Filed March 23, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 H63 F/G. 7

INVENTOR. RAPHAEL STE/N BY SmugM ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent 3,360,175 RIVET SETTING FIXTURE Raphael Stein, 1000 Barbeck Ave., Philadelphia, Pa. 19111 Filed Mar. 23, 1966, Ser. No. 538,174 8 Claims. (Cl. 227-62) This invention relates to a rivet setting fixture, and more particularly, to a fixture having a disappearing pilot pin for locating work and guiding the rivet through the material.

The fixture of the present invention is particularly constructed in a manner to facilitate the riveting of small components with close oppositely disposed walls on at least one of the elements to be riveted. Nevertheless, the fixture of the present invention can be utilized to facilitate setting of rivets in connection with conventional materials which do not present a problem and with which conventional rivet setting fixtures have been used heretofore. Thus, the rivet setting fixture of the present invention has particular adaptations and can be used where conventional fixtures cannot be used. This is accomplished without interfering with the ability of the fixture to be used in conjunction with materials which are easily capable of being riveted together.

The fixture of the present invention has a novel anvil and pilot pin support means. The pilot pin is biased upwardly by a novel spring means. As a result of the structural interrelationship, the fixture can be utilized for riveting two elements together when one of the elements has oppositely disposed walls spaced apart for a distance as small as a half an inch. When such elements are to be riveted, the conventional fixtures utilized heretofore cannot be used. The making of conventional fixtures small enough so as to fit between the oppositely disposed sides of one of the elements to be riveted has not proven to be satisfactory.

The rivet setting fixture of the present invention includes a body which is preferably provided with tapered side waHs so as to reduce the width of the body adjacent the location where an anvil and pilot pin are supported thereby. Thepilot pin is concentrically disposed and reciprocable with respect to the anvil. A leaf spring means is provided to bias the pilot pin to an operative position wherein it may be utilized to orientate the elements to be riveted and guide the rivet through the elements.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel rivet setting fixture to facilitate riveting elements.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel rivet setting fixture structurally orientated in a manner so as to facilitate riveting small components, at least one of which includes oppositely disposed walls.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a rivet setting fixture supported as a cantilever arm for entry into confined spaces on an element to be riveted to another element.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel rivet setting fixture structurally interrelated in a manner so that it can be disposed between oppositely disposed walls spaced apart by a distance approximately one-half inch.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel rivet setting fixture which is inexpensive, reliable, simple, and substantially maintenance-free.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there is shown in the drawings a form which is presently preferred; it being understood, however, that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.

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FIGURE 1 is a sectional view through the rivet setting fixture of the present invention and its immediate support.

FIGURE 2 is a partial perspective view of two elements to be riveted by the present invention.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 33 in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4-4 in FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is a view similar to FIGURE 4 but showing the components in another position after completion of the riveting.

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken along the line 66 in FIGURE 5.

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view taken along line 7-7 in FIGURE 5.

Referring to the drawing in detail, wherein like numerals indicate like elements, there is shown a rivet setting fixture of the present invention designated generally as 10.

The rivet setting fixture 10 is part of a rivet setting machine such as that illustrated in my Patent No. 3,125,- 905. An anvil fixture designated generally as 14 is supported at one end of a bracket arm 12. Above the anvil tfixture 14, there is provided means for applying rivet 16 to elements to be riveted. Rivet 16 is held between a pair of movable jaws 18 and 20 and adapted to be moved downwardly by a driver 22. A raceway 24 may be provided for feeding rivets to the jaws.

In FIGURE 2, there is illustrated elements 26 and 28 to be riveted together. One of the elements, namely element 28 is provided with oppositely disposed walls 30 and 32 between which the anvil fixture must be disposed during the riveting process. The anvil fixture 14 is particularly adapted for setting rivets between elements 26 and 28 when the distance between walls 30 and 32 is on the order of one-half inch or greater.

The anvil fixture 14 includes a body 34 supported as a cantilever arm from a standard 36. Standard 36 and body 34 are releasably interconnected with the bracket arm 12 by means of bolt 38 and nut 40. Bolt 38 is threadedly connected to bracket arm 12 and maintains the body 34 rigid so as to oppose the force applied thereto .to deform the rivet 16.

I An actuator member 42 is provided for facilitating up and down movement of the anvil fixture 14. The vertical position of actuator member 42 is controlled by the threaded screw 44. Member 42 has a shoulder 46 which abuts a lower surface on the foot 48. A reduced diameter portion 50 'on member 42 extends through a bore in the foot 48. A dowel 52 may be provided to releasably interconnect portion 50 with foot 48. A guide pin 54 is forcefitted into a bore 55 in the bracket arm 12 and enters a guide bore in the foot 48 with a slide fit. j v 7 As shown more clearly in FIGURE 3, the body 34 is provided with converging side faces 56 and 58 and a longitudinally extending slot 60. The slot 60 is in the form of a channel. A bore may be utilized in place of slot 60. A cover plate 62 overlies the upper surface on body 34, standard 36 and slot 60. Cover plate 62 is held'in position by the bolt 38.

As shown more clearly in FIGURE 4, the nose of the body 34 is provided with an undercut 64. The undercut 64 is of sufiicient height so as to communicate with the slot 60. The nose of the body 34 is provided with a bore 66, the depth of which is sufficient so as to communicate with slot 60. However, the depth of the bore 66 is less than the vertical height of the nose of the body 34 at the location where the undercut 64 is provided. Hence, the bottom of bore 66 will have a supporting surface provided by two generally semicircular surfaces 67 which are spaced apart from one another by the width of the slot 60 as shown more clearly in FIGURE 7.

A hollow anvil 68 is disposed within the bore 66. A pilot pin 74 of the disappearing type is provided coaxially with the anvil 68. Pin 74 extends through an axial bore 72 in anvil 68. Pin 74 is provided with a head 76 disposed within bore 70 in the anvil 68.

A leaf spring means such as spring 80 is provided for biasing the pin 74 to the position illustrated in FIGURE 4. Spring 80 contacts the lowermost surface on the head 76 by extending through a slot 78 in the anvil 68. The spring 80 is disposed within the slot 60. The end of spring 80 remote from the pilot pin 74 extends into a bore 82. Bore 82 extends between slot 60 and the bore for bolt 38 at an angle of approximately 45 with respect to the longitudinal axis of bolt 38. In this manner, the spring 80 is not physically connected to either the pilot pin or the body 34. Hence, spring 80 is readily replaceable. It will be noted that the end of the cover plate 62 remote from the bolt 38 overlies at least a portion of the anvil 68 so as to retain the same in proper disposition.

The elements 26 and 28 to be joined are placed adjacent to one another so that the holes therein are aligned. Thereafter, the elements are positioned so that body 34 enters between the walls 30 and 32 as shown in phantom in FIGURE 3 with the pilot pin being in the position illustrated in FIGURE 4. The elements 26 and 28 are then permitted to descend so that the pilot pin 34 extends through the aligned holes. Thereafter, the operator by use of a foot pedal or any other conventional structure causes the driver 22 to move the rivet 16 downwardly into contact with the end of the pin 74.

When the pin 74 is contacted by the downwardly moving rivet 16, pin 74 descends through the aligned holes against the bias of spring 80. After the pin 74 has descended far enough, the rivet 16 will be deformed on the anvil 68 as illustrated in FIGURE 5. Thereafter, the elements 26 and 28 will be removed from the position illustrated in FIG- URE 5 and the pilot pin 74 will be biased to the position illustrated in FIGURE 4 by spring 80. If desired, the 0pposite side wall of element 28 may then be riveted to the juxtaposed wall or surface on element 26 in the same manner as described above.

While the anvil fixture 14 is constructed in a manner so as to facilitate entry into narrow spaces such as the space between walls 30 and 32, it should be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that the anvil fixture 14 is also capable of being utilized for the riveting of sheets in a conventional manner. When so constructed, the anvil fixture is simple, inexpensive, and reliable. To reduce production costs, I have found that it is possible to extend the slot 60 to the left in FIGURE 4 to the very tip of the nose on body 34 and then reweld the nose so as to provide a solid structure to the left of the anvil in the same manner as illustrated in FIGURE 4. The pilot pin 74 preferably tapers to a point at its upper ends so that it may guide the rivet through the elements to be riveted and to facilitate the ease with which the elements may be orientated with respect to the pin 74.

A wide variety of materials may be used for spring 80. I prefer to use round spring wire having a diameter of 60 .040 inch. It should be apparent that screw 44 need not be separate from actuator 42 and it is possible to modify 4 the arrangement, if desired, to effect up and down movement of body 34 by adjustment of bolt 38.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof and, accordingly, reference should be made to the appended claims, rather than to the foregoing specification as indicating the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A rivet setting fixture comprising a body, said body having a channel means, an anvil and pilot pin supported by said body, said pilot pin being concentrically disposed with respect to the anvil, a leaf spring means in said chan. nel means, said leaf spring means biasing said pilot pin to a position so that the pilot pin is in an operative disposition wherein it may extend through aligned holes on elements to be riveted.

2. A fixture in accordance with claim 1 wherein said body is provided with side surfaces tapering toward a nose, said anvil being supported by said nose, and said spring means biasing said pilot pin in a direction along the longitudinal axis of the anvil.

3. A fixture in accordance with claim 1 wherein said channel means is a slot on the upper surface of said body, and a cover plate means overlying the slot.

4. A fixture in accordance with claim 1 wherein said body is provided with a bore at an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the channel means, one end of said leaf spring means being disposed within said bore.

5. A fixture in accordance with claim 1 including a standard supporting said body as a cantilever arm, a bracket arm, said body and standard being supported by said bracket arm, and means for selectively adjusting the vertical disposition of said body with respect to said bracket arm.

6. A fixture in accordance with claim 1 wherein said pilot pin is telescopically received within said anvil, said anvil having a slot, and said leaf spring means extending through said slot.

7. A fixture in accordance with claim 1 wherein said body is horizontally disposed, the longitudinal axis of said anvil and pilot pin being upright, said anvil and pilot pin being supported at one end of said body, said one end of said body being of a width substantially smaller than the width of said body at the other end thereof, said channel means being a slot extending to the upper surface of said body, and a cover plate overlying said slot.

8. A fixture in accordance with claim 1 wherein the vertical height of said body is smallest at one end thereof adjacent the area wherein the anvil is supported by the body.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 945,670 1/1910 Anderson 227-61 1,165,078 12/1915 Draher 227-61 XR FOREIGN PATENTS 470,865 8/1937 Great Britain.

GRANVILLE Y. CUSTER, 111., Primary Examiner. 

1. A RIVET SETTING FIXTURE COMPRISING A BODY, SAID BODY HAVING A CHANNEL MEANS, AN ANVIL AND PILOT PIN SUPPORTED BY SAID BODY, SAID PILOT PIN BEING CONCENTRICALLY DISPOSED WITH RESPECT TO THE ANVIL, A LEAF SPRING MEANS IN SAID CHANNEL MEANS, SAID LEAF SPRING MEANS BIASING SAID PILOT PIN 